Christmas, Part 1

Well I've tried and tried, but I can't condense all the fun and all the photo's of the last 2 weeks down into a manageable post. So because of that (and my new years resolution to manage my time more wisely) Christmas is going to be a multi-post extravaganza of pictures and stories.

Tyler and I decided to try something different for our drive to Montana this year. First of all we decided to go through Wyoming, my favorite state, and second of all we decided to leave home at 3am. Other than the snow storm that arrived a few hours early, thus making the first 3 hours a bit treacherous and slickery, it was a wonderful drive. The kids slept almost the entire way to Worland where we stopped to visit my Grandparents and watch some football game. The girls got to play with and warm up to their Great Grandparents, and we got a wonderful meal, and some great company on the stop. It was sad to go but we promised to return on our way back and continued on to Billings.

Sunday we went to church and got to see all our friends from our old ward plus a wonderful Christmas program. That night I got a call from an old friend (like met up at girls camp when we were 12 years old, old). Alice was flying into town that night and decided to take me up on my offer to stay with us!!! It was so fun seeing her again after 2 years, and we got to spend the next 4 days with her as our guest!!!

Here we are now at 25.

And here we are at 20? I even have pictures of us at like 15, but that was pre-digital and locked away in a photo album somewhere, too bad. What do you think, should I go back to black with bangs?!!!!

I've always wanted to do gingerbread houses and making some was also on Alice's holiday checklist so we went to Candy town USA and LOADED up on candy. It ended up being about a 2 day affair but the results were delicious!

Alex was simply amazed with the whole thing.

She probably ate more sugar that day, than the previous 2 years of her life.

Those cute wandering fingers couldn't stay away.

Here was our finished gingerbread village. David's on the left (made a few days previous and already being eaten away), Mine, candy central (I tried to cover just about every inch of that thing, it was delicious) and Alice's which won the beauty contest by about 10,000 points. It was gorgeous, she had all the good ideas.

Sadly on Thursday Alice had to leave, but that was when Michael and Danielle showed up!!!

Alex was THRILLED to see her Uncle Michael

And Heidi soon got attached to Aunt Danielle and all her attention.

Oh my Alex

Yesterday (being one of the more difficult days of my parenting life) was full of hilarious comments by Alex. Unfortunately I was so frazzled most of the day I didn't write down 1/2 of the things she said and the ones I do remember aren't quite the same without her hilarious looks and intonation to accompany, but here are a few.

While in the bathtub with Heidi "my little pinky finger is hurt, so I need a cast" said while wrapping her arm up with a wet washcloth. When Archie had his cast She was very interested it and drove him nuts trying to play with it and explore it while attached to the poor boy.

While playing with her Nativity set she came and introduced me to a few of the people. The Angel had been demoted to Fairy Godmother, and one of the shepherds with his cape was now Prince Charming. I bet you can't guess what Alex's new favorite book/movie/barbie doll is.

For some reason Alex has started calling me neighbor. While I was working on the computer this afternoon she pranced right up, handed me a box of wipes and said "Here you go neighbor" in the most charming voice.

Christmas Card shoot

After months of trying, this is the best picture we've got.

Each time I try to get a good family picture I am more and more in awe of the families who always have an adorable up to date portrait on the wall with everyone smiling AND looking at the camera.

I chose this particular picture for our Christmas card, because it is the only one we have from the last 3 months where...

everyone is in the photo

everyone in the photo at least appears to be joyful

That's right, it's not holiday cheer in Alex's eyes but rather frustrated panic as she tries to escape my grip by sliding out of her coat. It was all I could do to keep her face from slipping out of sight.

These other photos might give a clue as to why family portraits have become such a struggle. I can only imagine what the pictures will look like once the children outnumber the parents arms.

You might notice the vice like grip I have on Alex's jacket through the next few pictures...

Ahhh, finally a calm picture.

While the pictures might not have been the greatest, we really had a wonderful time at Thanksgiving point where we took the pictures. For FHE on Monday the Brady family got together to go on a wagon ride to see the christmas lights for Family Home Evening!!! Alex LOVED it and it was fun hanging out with everyone in a different setting. If you have the chance, I'd highly recommend going. I'm pretty sure we are going to have to make it a family tradition as long as we are in Utah!

Heidi was a saint like always, perfectly content to look at the lights and be cuddled in a blanket.

Devin and Kara did most of the child holding and running after as usual, making the night that much more fun for Tyler and I.

We even almost got a good picture of Grandma, Grandpa and the grandkids.

America's most photogenic family even made a showing.

It was a wonderful way to spend a Monday night.

Peculiar Conversations

“There, I just learned how to spell waffles and vanilla,” Tyler said after writing them 4 times consecutively for a christmas gift. “I’ve never written those words before.”

“SERIOUSLY!?” I asked.

“Why would I have ever had to write them before,” he replied. “Have you ever written them?”

“Many, many times,” I responded.

“Have you ever written sustentaculum tali?” Tyler asked.

“Why would I have ever needed to write sustentaculum tali? Huh, I guess we do live completely different lives after all.”

..... As if it needed proving.

"I can't get the smell of Heidi's poop out of my nose," I told Tyler one evening as we sat together after a long day.

"I can't get the smell of cadaver out of mine," he replied.

Sigh, no use trying to one-up the guy who works in the anatomy lab.

Alex talking to her father about her hodge podge Nativity set she put together.....

"I'm going to put them in the barn so they can be SO SO happy about the presents they gave to the kitty cat."

The kitty cat may or may not have been a stand-in Jesus.

December December

A few days after the Blizzard of the century completely missed Provo, we finally got some snow to play in!

Alex and her baby doll loved it.

It was hard to pull her inside out of the cold because she was having SO much fun!

I hope for her sake we have many more snowy days to look forward to.

I got excited and set up the Christmas tree. We decided to use our fake one this year since we will be traveling to Montana mid-month!!!!! It was a good thing because Heidi has suddenly become very mobile, even if she can't yet crawl. She can roll all around, turn in circles and push herself backwards now.

This is her pirate face.

We were in the kitchen the other day and we came out to find Heidi missing!

She had backed herself under the tree. Alex thought this was HILARIOUS!

This week we also had our good friends the Hyers over to decorate gingerbread men. They brought their two foster kids as well as their own two kids and we had a blast!

The Hyer's two boys are both 3 months older than our two girls, so everyone had someone to play with their own age. It appears Heidi still has sibling trust issues.

I just couldn't get over how similar the two babies are! Radley is 3 months older than Heidi, but they are almost exactly the same height and weight. He can almost walk and it was so crazy watching such a tiny guy get up and move around like he can, probably the cutest thing I've ever seen.

We have this joke with the Hyers that we do everything exactly 3 months after them. Get married, get pregnant, get pregnant again, get chicken coop and on and on. I swear we arn't copy cats. I'm not sure we are quite ready to follow their next leap though, seeing as they are growing baby number 3!!! I guess we still have 3 months to decide.

Happy Thanksgiving

Mom, I peed on your purse!

"Mom I peed on your purse."

Those are the words that officially ended round 2 of potty training.

As much as I hate to admit that we are still in the throws of the potty training death struggle, we are. But after a bit of sage advice and some rethinking of the topic, I decided it's not worth the stress.

Alex has demonstrated that not only can she engage adults in philosophical conversations, but also execute every task needed to use the toilet, minus actually using it for it's proper function. She's potty trained, just too stubborn to give me the satisfaction of thinking I've accomplished the dreaded task. She's just waiting for me to dump another $40 on diapers to inform me she is capable and willing.

My daughter is brilliant, but also diabolical.